Dr Zoe Russell

How Zoe Russell Can Help

Dr Zoe Russell is a Specialist Sports and Exercise Physiotherapist at PhysioWorks Clayfield in Brisbane. She helps people with shoulder pain, knee pain, and ankle injuries. She also supports active people managing hip pain and load-related tendon problems.

Zoe Russell consultations suit people who want clear answers and a practical path forward. Treatment may include hands-on physiotherapy where appropriate, training-load guidance, and a tailored exercise program matched to your goals and current capacity. If you are searching for a Specialist Sports Physiotherapist in Brisbane, Zoe’s background supports return-to-training and return-to-sport planning for both elite and recreational athletes. For weekend injuries or sudden flare-ups, the PhysioWorks Acute Sports Injury Clinic may also suit early assessment needs.

Alongside injury care, Zoe helps people build capacity for the activities that matter to them, whether that is sport, work, or staying active long term.

Who Zoe Russell Works Best With

• Active adults wanting a structured rehabilitation plan and measurable progress
• Athletes returning to training after injury or a performance setback
• People with recurring pain who want clear direction and staged progression
• Teenagers and youth athletes managing growth-related pain and training load (including conditions such as Sinding-Larsen-Johansson syndrome)
• Clients preparing for or progressing after hip, knee, or ankle surgery
• Recreational athletes managing tendon pain, repeated sprains, or overuse injuries

What to Expect in Your First Appointment

Your first appointment establishes a clear starting point. Zoe will review your injury history, sport or training routine, and goals. She will assess movement quality, strength, joint function, and tissue capacity. Then she will explain her findings and outline a staged rehabilitation plan that matches your lifestyle and sporting demands. Where useful, she may use video analysis to check technique and guide return-to-training changes.

• Clear explanation and structured plan
• Practical home and training advice
• Hands-on treatment where appropriate
• Goal-based exercise progression

Clinical Focus & Background

Zoe Russell has been part of the PhysioWorks team since 2008. In 2021 she was awarded the title Specialist Sports & Exercise Physiotherapist by the Australian College of Physiotherapists. She is also an APA Titled Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist. Many people search for a Specialist Sports Physiotherapist when they want structured rehab and return-to-sport guidance, and Zoe’s training and clinical scope align with that need.

Zoe is both an Olympic and Commonwealth Games physiotherapist. She worked with the Australian Swim Team during the 2024 Paris Olympics and has supported athletes preparing for Commonwealth Games competition. In addition, she works with elite swimmers at the Queensland Academy of Sport. These roles involve managing high training loads, travel demands, and performance expectations. As a result, she is experienced with return-to-play decisions, workload planning, and performance progression.

Importantly, Zoe applies the same structured thinking to everyday patients in Brisbane. Whether you are aiming to return to sport, build confidence after surgery, or manage recurring pain, her approach stays practical and clearly explained.

Conditions Commonly Managed

• Shoulder injuries
• Knee injuries
• Ankle injuries
• ACL injuries
• Tendinopathy
• Plantar fasciitis
• Proximal hamstring tendinopathy
• ITB syndrome

View the full list of conditions treated →

Treatment Approach

• Exercise rehabilitation – structured strengthening and progressive load management
• Sports physiotherapy – return-to-sport planning and injury prevention strategies
• Core stability training – improved trunk and hip control for better movement efficiency

How We Track Progress

Zoe Russell physiotherapist sessions focus on measurable outcomes. Progress may include reduced pain levels, improved strength, increased movement range, and better confidence returning to sport or daily activity.

Follow-up appointments reassess movement, update exercises, and adjust load so rehabilitation remains goal-driven and realistic.

When to Book Again

Book again if symptoms persist, return with activity, or limit work or sport. Early reassessment often prevents minor issues from becoming ongoing setbacks.

Appointments, Fees & Rebates

• Private health and third-party insurance
• Physiotherapy fees and rebates
• Medicare, WorkCover, DVA, NDIS, CTP and sports insurers (where applicable)

For professional standards and practitioner membership information, visit the Australian Physiotherapy Association.

Book online to see Dr Zoe Russell at PhysioWorks Clayfield.